AbstractA listing of all general paediatricians in the country was obtained from the directory of members of the Australian College of Paediatrics. Each of the 287 paediatricians identified was sent a questionnaire requesting information about morbidity patterns of patients seen in their practices and their views regarding paediatric training. The response rate was 80.9%. Half the respondents had been in practice for 10 years or less, while two‐thirds practised in a capital city. Respondents rated their training in each of 10 organic specialty areas, on average, as having been appropriate. However, when given a listing of nine areas related to child development and behaviour, chronic disease and counselling, 70% rated training in these areas as having been inadequate; this figure was even higher for recent graduates. Less than one‐third had formal training in developmental, behavioural and community paediatrics; the remaining two‐thirds of respondents acquired their knowledge by clinical experience, books or journals, professional contacts or meetings. This was despite the fact that almost 80% of respondents felt that practical experience was not an adequate substitute for formal training in developmental and behavioural paediatrics. There was an encouraging trend for paediatricians who had been in practice for 10 years or less to have had training in these areas, although the number was still less than half. Almost 90% of respondents felt that changes were needed in paediatric training to equip trainees for general paediatric practice, while 62% of respondents were of the opinion that the present FRACP training system mitigated against appropriate training for general paediatrics. Ninety‐three per cent of respondents agreed that paediatricians had a major role to play in the management of children with problems of development and behaviour. Respondents made a large number of pertinent comments regarding perceived deficiencies in their training. These data are discussed in terms of the need to address imbalances in training. It is suggested that steps need to be taken to address the conflict between hospital service and training needs, that more trainees should be exposed to experiences in ambulatory and community settings, and that it is important to consider the introduction of appropriate curricula in developmental and behavioural paediatrics into Australian training pro